Saskia Laroo

Jazzkia

They Love to make Music Miles

Jazzkia is Saskia Laroo’s Jazz Quartet and featuring a multi-national cast of jazz and cross-over musicians. They have toured across the world, curiously exploring new sound and groove combinations of electric and acoustic music with respect to tradition.

factsheet | tech rider

Repertoire

Famous straight-ahead jazz sandarts, plus specially selected compositions from Saskia's pen

Line Up

4 (+ guests)

press quotes

“She plays the trumpet with pleasant easyness”
By Maartje den Breejen, Het Parool, March 31, 2008.

"Her harmon mute playing on Blackbird managed to suggest [Miles] Davis without attempting to imitate him."
By Don Heckman, in LA Times. December, 2000.

"Her muted trumpet may remind you of Miles, but the style and improv are strictly that of a rising star in the jazz world."
By Arthur C. Bourassa, in Jazz Now. November, 1999.

Video

Biography

Jazzkia is the title of Saskia's third CD and the name of the quartet she formed in 1995, to cull lovers of acoustic jazz and cross-over music. Whereas the repertoire primarily consists of her original compositions which invoke jazz giants such as Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and their likes, the Jazzkia concept is a direct homage to Miles Davis. With all this tradition well-absorbed, still Saskia burgeons on the 21st century with relevance, boldness, and originality.

Back in the 1970’s, she schooled in workshops in 1979 by Nedley Elstak, Arnold Dooyeweerd at the Bimhuis and performed free jazz concerts with saxophonist Hans Dulfer quartet (a.o. with Ernst Glerum- acoustic bass). By 1985 she was touring Holland in the ensemble of conductor Butch Morris ( a.o. with Ab baars- reed instruments, Eric Vloeimans- trumpet). Since 1996 Laroo’s Jazzkia has been a Sunday-night fixture in Jazz Cafe Alto and monthly so at Jazz Cafe Casablanca, both in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In 1998 Saskia reconnected with saxophonist Teddy Edwards and recorded an album together in Los Angeles, followed by a series of performances. Since 2001 Saskia stays connected to the U.S. through her musical collaboration with pianist Warren Byrd, with whom she tours and performs throughout the world.

tours & performances

2016: the Netherlands, the US.
2015: Italy; India; the Netherlands; Poland; the USA
2014: The Netherlands, Poland, the USA.
2013: Thailand - Bankgkok Festivals & Koh Samui Latin & Jazz
2012: Greece - Tinos Jazz Festival; Panama - Boquete Jazz & Blues; Turkey tour - Dutch Delight ft Sevket Akinci (g); Ukraine tour ft Ark Ovrutski (b)
2011: Belgium: Gouvy Jazz; Brazil: Rio as Ostras Jazz e Blues; Canada: Sunfest; Finland: Imatra Big Band Festival; Croatia tour; Poland: Memorial to Miles Davis, Kielce; the Netherlands: Amersfoort Jazzfestival etc.
2010: Chile: Puerto Montt Freee Jazz Festival & Chile tour; Germany : Women in Jazz, Halle; India: Jazz Yatra; Bulgaria: Balcik; Serbia: Nisville Jazz Festival.
Other tours: Brazil: Sampa Jazz Festival 2008 | Singapore: Mosaic Jazz Festival 2008 | China tour 2007 | South Africa: Capetown Jazz Festival 2007 | Switzerland: Montreux Jazz Festival 2007 | Thailand: Bangkok Jazz Festival 2007 | Nicaragua: Festival para el Tolerancia 2005| Surinam: Paramaribo Jazz Festival 2005 | China tour 2004 | India: Jazz Yatra 2004 | Sofia Jazz Festival 1999 | the Netherlands: Northsea Jazz Festival 2000 ft Teddy Edwards (tenor sax) and more.

CD's